This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application serial no. NOT YET ASSIGNED!, entitled "Protective Cover For a Fuel Pump Filler Gun," filed Jun. 24, 1996.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protection devices, and more particularly to a protection apparatus having an energy absorbing inner layer, a harder outer layer surrounding the inner layer, and being attachable to a fuel pump filler gun. The protection apparatus absorbs and distributes impact forces otherwise received directly by the filler gun when dropped or hit against an object.
2. Description of the Related Art
Related art devices are known to have the head of a filler gun of a fuel pump covered by a thin boot of rubber or plastic material. The boot prevents a bare filler gun head from making scratches on a car's paint, and to a limited degree protects the head from damage. Even with a boot covering the head, however, impact forces caused by the filler guns being dropped upon the ground, or being hit against the gas pump, automobiles, and other objects, results in damaged filler guns. Repairing and replacing filler guns are one of the direct costs of such damage. The gas station operator also may lose business as a result of having certain pumps out of order while awaiting repair.
A need exists for a protection apparatus which may be readily attached to all configurations of filler guns, whether or not the filler gun has a boot covering the head. The protection apparatus should be readily attachable to the head of a filler gun, or to a boot covering the head of a filler gun, to provide significant protection to the filler gun, thereby avoiding the costs associated with pump downtime, and filler gun repair and replacement.